Cecil J. (Cecil James) Sharp

author

Cecil J. (Cecil James) Sharp

1859–1924

A leading force in the English folk-song revival, he spent years collecting traditional songs, dances, and tunes that might otherwise have been lost. His work helped shape how later generations understood and performed folk music.

1 Audiobook

The Morris Book, Part 1 A History of Morris Dancing, With a Description of Eleven Dances as Performed by the Morris-Men of England

The Morris Book, Part 1 A History of Morris Dancing, With a Description of Eleven Dances as Performed by the Morris-Men of England

by Cecil J. (Cecil James) Sharp, Herbert C. MacIlwaine

About the author

Born in London on November 22, 1859, Cecil James Sharp became one of the best-known collectors of English folk music and dance. He studied at Cambridge and also spent time in Australia before returning to England, where his interest in traditional music deepened into a major life's work.

From the early 1900s onward, he traveled widely to note down songs, dance tunes, and customs from rural singers and musicians. He is especially associated with collecting in Somerset and with promoting Morris dancing, and his publications played a major part in the folk revival of the Edwardian era.

Sharp died in London on June 23, 1924, but his influence lasted far beyond his lifetime. For many readers and listeners, he remains a central figure in preserving and popularizing English traditional music.